By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterMAJOR RICHARD Reece, head of the Correctional Services, yesterday said his department had commenced the review process of more than 70 inmates who have been languishing behind bars, having been declared unfit to plead.
"Twenty-eight of these inmates are being held at the Governor-General's pleasure, another 49 have been classified unfit to plead," Major Reece told The Gleaner yesterday.
He said the department had made a listing of all the cases and submitted reports to the Ministry of Justice. These inmates are regularly visited by medical personnel working within the penal system.
As part of measures to deal with those classified as unfit to plead, a psychiatric evaluation is done, following which a Ministry of Justice form is completed. Psychiatric reports and certificates of fitness are then prepared for submission to the court.
CASES HEARD
Major Reece explained that court dates are then set, the cases heard and an order made by the court, as in the cases of those who have been freed recently. Three prisoners were released this week after languishing behind bars for more than 60 years combined. It is alleged that in some instances, there are no court records of the individual cases.
The Commissioner has denied reports that inmates have been lost in the system. "The office of the Public Defender plays an active role in the cases being reviewed," said Major Reece.
The department is currently updating its record for the 4,734 inmates in the penal system. Audits are now being completed for the Tower Street and St. Catherine Correctional facilities, as well as the Fort Augusta prison for women.
"In some cases the inmates' records have deteriorated and we have to re-photograph and fingerprint them," explained Commissioner Reece.
Reports are that the audit began in March of this year and should be completed by the end of December. Apart from the 77 inmates who are unfit to plead, there are 227 mentally ill inmates in the system, most of whom are being housed at the Tower Street facility.
